Switch



(No Model.)

M. N. JONES. SWITCH.

Patented Jan.6,189'1.

' UNITED STATES MATHIAS N. JONES, OF

PATENT EEIcE.

ESOANABA, MICHIGAN.

SWITCH.

fiPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,220, dated January6, 1891.

' Application filed September 9, 1890. Serial No. 364,445. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATHIAS N. JONES, of Escanaba, Michigan, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Switches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device to be attached to aswitch for the purpose of automatically operating the same under certaincircumstances; and the invention consists in the features and details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch provided with myimprovement; and Fig. 2, avertical section,on an enlarged scale, of oneportion of the device.

A A are the rails of the main line; B B, the rails of the branch line orsiding; O O, the switch-rails; c, tie-bars; D D, bell-crank levers; d, arod connecting the switch-rails to thelever D; E, a rod connecting thetwo lovers D D; F, a bar or rod attached to one of the ties by means ofa plate f so as to be free to swing up and down; G, a'spring placedbetween the bar F and one arm of the bell-crank lever D; g, a rod orspindle attached to the bar F and provided with a nut or collar g tohold the parts together, and H a portion of the pilot or cow-catcher.

The rails of the main and branch lines and the switch-rails are made inthe ordinary manner, and being well known and fully shown in thedrawings require no further description. The switch-rails are boundtogether by tie-bars, one of these d preferably extending out at oneside of the track to form an operating arm or link, though any otherconnection maybe used as desired. It should be understood that theseswitch-rails are capable of being operated by hand by means of anysuitable switch-stand, automatic or otherwise, in the usual manner; butas this forms no part of myinvention I have not shown such stand. Thebell-crank lever D, preferably pivoted, as shown, on the upper side ofone of the ties, has one of its arms connected with the switchra-ils bymeans of the bar at and its other arm connected by means of a rod, bar,or other suitable connection E with another bell-crank lever D,preferably pivoted, as shown, in a vertical position on one side of atie. The connection must be long enough for the levers D D to be sosituated as to operate the device, as hereinafter described, before theengine reaches the switch. I then make a bar F of any suitable lengthand dimensions and attach it to one of the ties by any suitable means,as by a plate or book f, bolted to the tie, the only essential featureof this attachment being that the arm F shall be able to move up anddown or swing in a vertical plane, as shown. A rod or spindle g ispreferably attached to the bar F, and around this spindle is placed acoiled spring G, abutting at one end against the bar F and at the otheragainst a suitable plate, socket, or projection on the arm (1 of thelever D. The spindle g passes freely through this arm of the lever, andis provided with a collar or nut g, the purpose of the spindle andcollar being to hold the parts together, the spindle not being attachedin any way to the bell-crank lever.

\Vheu the rails are in the position shown in Fig. l, the main line isconnected with the siding. If, now, a train is standing upon the sidingwaiting for one to pass on the main line, with the rails as shown, thelatter train, if coming from the left, would pass into the siding andcollide with the train standing there. causing an accident. My device isintended to prevent such accidents, and the parts thereof beingconstructed and put together substantially as shown in the drawings itacts to accomplish such purpose, as follows: As the train approaches,the pilot of the engine, a portion of which is represented in Fig. 2 bythe letter H, will strike against the lever F (the parts, of course,being so adjusted as to bring the lever into position for such striking)and force the lever and the spring G downward. The spring G, pressingagainst the arm d of the bell-crank lever D, moves this downward,rocking the vertical arm of this lever toward the left, Fig. 2. Thisacts by means of the rod E or other connection to rock the bell-cranklever D, pulling over the switch-rails until the rail G lies against therail A, thus opening the main line and allowing the train to pass,thereby preventing any accident. It may be desired, however, to back atrain into the siding, in which case if partof the cars should be runinto the siding and then this automatic device should be operated by thelocomotive to throw the switch the rest of the cars would run onto themain line, thereby derailing the train. To prevent this, the spring Gshould be merely stift enough to move the levers D D to throw theswitch-rails C C while they are empty, but unable to move them when carsare standing upon such rails. Now, as a train backs into the siding assoon as any car enters the same the wheels on the one side of the carwill rest upon the rail B and those upon the other side upon the movablerail 0, so that when the 10- comotive reaches the bar F and forces itdownward the spring will not be strong enough to move the rails C C withthe added weightof the car, and will merely be compressed while theengine passes over it and then be restored to its former position,leaving the switch open. \Vhen ears are to be run into the sidingdirectly and not backed, the switch is not thrown until after thelocomotive has passed the bar 1*, after which the train may run in.freely, since only the pilot strikes against such bar. When theswitch-rails have been moved in one direction by the lovers D D, theymay be moved back by hand.

Although I have herein shown and described bell-crank levers andconnections as embodying one form in which my invention may be made, Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to these precise forms,since other connections may be used, if desired, between 0 the leveragainst which the pilot strikes and the switohrails.

I claim- 1. The combination of the laterally-movable switch-rails C G, alever D, connected thereto, a lever D, connected to the lever D, aswinging lever F, and a spring G, interposed between the levers F and D,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the laterally-movable switch-rails C C, abell-crank lever D, connected thereto, asimilar lever D, connected tothe lever D, a swinging lever F, adapted to be depressed by the pilot ofa passing locomotive to operate the device, and a spring G, placedbetween the lovers l and l D, such spring having suflicicnt resistanceto move the switch-rails when empty, but to be compressed without movingsuch rails when the same are occupied, substantially as 50 described.

MATlllAS N. JONES.

Witnesses: I GEORGE S. PAYSON, SAMUEL E. IIIBBEN.

